Commonly, potable water is distributed to the consumer in plastic or glass bottles of various sizes and shapes, whereas ice is distributed in blocks or in individual plastic bags.
Distribution of water in bottles has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, when the bottles are empty they tend to retain their shape, thus creating a large volume of waste material. Secondly, bottles tend to crack or split if the water in them is frozen, since water expands as it cools. Bottles are therefore not suited to the distribution of ice.
In some situations, such as when emergency relief is needed at a particular location, there is often a need for both ice and water. Ice may be needed for a variety of purposes, included the preservation of perishable foods and for personal cooling, while water is required for hydration. In such situations, those seeking relief must carry unwieldy containers of water (either large containers or multiple bottles) as well as bags or blocks of ice.
There is also a need to transport and store other materials, such as other liquids and solids, in both frozen and non-frozen states in a manner that is efficient, doesn't take much room and is versatile.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.